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Kenya reassures IAAF on World XC security

Posted March 6th, 2007 at 1:08 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Cross Country

Responding to a statement issued by U.S. officials on Monday, the Kenyan government today reassured the IAAF that a “specific security plan” is already in place for the upcoming World Cross Country Championships taking place in Mombasa, on March 24.

On Monday, the U.S. Embassy in the Kenyan capital Nairobi warned of a possible “unspecified terrorist attack” from “alleged extremist elements” at the upcoming world championships, but gave no further details.

Today, the Kenyan Government told the IAAF, the sport’s international governing body, that security measures:

“Involving all branches of the country’s military and police authorities, is already in place to protect all athletes and participants during their stay in Kenya.”

Over the past several weeks, Kenyan media have reported that Muslim leaders in the Indian Ocean coastal city have threatened to disrupt the championships if several detainees currently being held on suspicion of terrorism are not released.

According to local media accounts, 23 Kenyan Muslims have recently been arrested, some held without charge, for alleged ties to terrorism.

The U.S. State Department originally issued a travel advisory to Kenya in March 2003 after an attack on an Israeli-owned hotel near Mombasa the previous year. Despite the warning, the number of U.S. citizens visiting Kenya since has increased markedly, according to local estimates, from 39,743 in 2003, to more than 74,000 in 2005, with few incidents of violence reported.